GDS: Smartpoint

Note: the screens you see in this article might not match your BookingBuilder exactly, but don't worry about that- the differences are just cosmetic and the directions will still work.

Smartpoint

This article is about using Travelport Smartpoint with Apollo / Galileo and BookingBuilder.  Smartpoint is also available for Worldspan, but the technical details are vastly different, and that version doesn't interface with BookingBuilder.

Smartpoint operates in addition to Apollo / Galileo, serving as a graphical interface and including many functions that Apollo / Galileo do not.  Frequently, the original interface of Apollo / Galileo will be unavailable to the user, but the infrastructure is nonetheless present and operating.

Communications Interface

The Smartpoint communications interface operates completely differently from that of Apollo / Galileo.  Apollo / Galileo can send arbitrary text to BookingBuilder, but Smartpoint is more complex.  Smartpoint sends each GDS entry as specifically formatted XML.  

That means if either Smartpoint or BookingBuilder is too out of date, some commands and responses will produce the expected results, and some won't.  This is simply because the XML formats are evolving, with changes being made and new ones being added.   

There have been a number of configurations for the interface which will be covered below.  The current configuration is:

• In C:\Program Files (x86)\Travelport\Smartpoint\PluginLocations  is an XML file that tells Smartpoint where to find BookingBuilder's Smartpoint interface files.  
• It will be named BBSmartpointPlugin.xml.  
• The contents of the file point Smartpoint to a relative location for BookingBuilder's AppData folder, which contains the interface files.
  
  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
  <root>
  <folder relative="true">%LOCALAPPDATA%\BookingBuilder\bin</folder>
  </root>

Native Mode

Users can get an experience closer to the command line they had in Apollo / Galileo by entering Native mode.  The Smartpoint interface with BookingBuilder treats Native mode a bit differently, and so some commands may work with BookingBuilder while others may not.  It is not currently fully supported, but we are working on doing so.  A good rule of thumb is to try whatever didn't work in the default Smartpoint view.  If it works there, but not in Native mode, please contact BookingBuilder Support.  We will want to gather the information needed to address the issue.  

Admin site settings

If you sign in to the BookingBuilder administration site, and click on the relevant Group on the right, you should see the BookingBuilder Options link.  That has a setting called Galileo Fare Format, which allows you to control whether decimals are used or not- this will affect entries made in Smartpoint, if Galileo is what is running in the background (as opposed to Apollo).

Troubleshooting

The BookingBuilder icon near the clock may be yellow, indicating a lack of connection, or green but still unresponsive, or responding to some commands and not others.  In any case, the first step is to check the versions of Smartpoint and BookingBuilder.

These instructions assume Smartpoint is at least version 8.2 and BookingBuilder is at least 434M4.  If you are looking at lower versions and updating isn't an option, please contact BookingBuilder Support.  

XML Files

This is historically the likeliest trouble spot, and the quickest fix to attempt, so it is a good place to start.

1. Exit any open GDS (including Smartpoint) and BookingBuilder.
   
   
2. Take a look in C:\Program Files (x86)\Travelport\Smartpoint\PluginLocations.  You might find more than one file named a variation of BBSmartpointPlugin.xml , like BBSmartpointPluginPF.xml, BBSmartpointPluginEX.xml etc.
   
   
3. We need to end up with one good version of the file.  It is typically easiest to delete them all, then create a version using the XML quoted above.  Note that most Windows versions do not allow a save-as action in Program Files (x86) even if you are admin, so save to another location, and then move the file.
   
   
4. Start Smartpoint.
   
   
5. In Smartpoint, enter the command #deleteplugincache , followed by #restart (which will restart Smartpoint).
   
   
6. Start BookingBuilder and see if this worked.

AppData

The problem could be with BookingBuilder's files.  To refresh them:

1. Exit BookingBuilder, any open GDS, Chrome, and Internet Explorer.  
   
   
2. Open Task Manager and end the process GDIAmadeusexe.exe if present.  
   
   
3. Navigate to C:\Users\[the user's folder]\AppData
   
   
4. Delete 
   1. \Local\BookingBuilder
   2. \Local\Temp\BookingBuilder (if this one isn't in there that is fine)
   3. \Roaming\BookingBuilder\Data\BBUpdater 
      
      
5. Start BookingBuilder.  
   
   
6. When it pops up a message near the clock that says 'Prompts Have Been Loaded', right click the BB icon and choose Update Settings.
   
   
7. When that process completes, BookingBuilder might restart, or it may ask you to restart- it just means BookingBuilder, not the computer.  Right click the BB icon and choose Restart this Application.
   
   
8. Start Smartpoint.
   
   
9. In Smartpoint, enter the command #deleteplugincache , followed by #restart (which will restart Smartpoint).
   
   
10. Try it and see if this helped.

GDS Interface

BookingBuilder's GDS interface system needs to support a number of versions of various GDS systems.  A major update was put into place alongside the older interface capabilities.  In general, older versions of GDSs will use the older interface, while up to date versions use the newer.  While BookingBuilder generally automatically detects the right one to use, in case that has been over-ridden or failed, there is a solution.

1. Right click the BB icon by the clock and choose Configuration.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the Advanced button, then Yes.
   
   
   
   
3. In the Item drop down, find UseNewGDSInterfaces.
   
   
4. In the Value drop down, select True.
   
   
5. Click Set.
   
   
6. Restart BookingBuilder and Smartpoint.

Start Over

If none of the above steps helped:

1. Follow the steps above to delete the AppData, but do not start BookingBuilder when complete.
   
   
2. Start BookingBuilder.  
   
   
3. When it pops up a message near the clock that says 'Prompts Have Been Loaded', right click the BB icon and choose Update Settings.
   
   
4. When that process completes, BookingBuilder might restart, or it may ask you to restart- it just means BookingBuilder, not the computer.  Right click the BB icon and choose Restart this Application.
   
   
5. Start Smartpoint.
   
   
6. In Smartpoint, enter the command #deleteplugincache , followed by #restart (which will restart Smartpoint).

Still Not Working

There are some more steps that may solve the problem in the General Repair Steps article, although of course web can skip refreshing the AppData files since we've already done that.